Once upon a time, Namco made a Mario Kart game. And you can kind of tell!
Back in the mid-2000s, Nintendo decided to leverage its Gamecube hardware to arcades. This isn't actually too uncommon; the Sony ZN-1 and Namco System 12 were both based on PlayStation 1, PlayStation 2 got a bunch of arcade versions (most notably, the Konami Python) - later on, even the Wii would get arcadelised for Tatsunoko vs Capcom.
What made Nintendo's venture unique was its collaborative nature, as Nintendo teamed up with two giants of the arcade industry to launch the platform: SEGA and Namco. This team-up led to an arcade board fittingly dubbed the Triforce.
The Triforce didn't get a ton of games, but what it did get was pretty good stuff. F-Zero GX got an arcade version in the form of F-Zero AX, Virtua Striker 4 made its debut on the platform, and there were even plans for a Star Fox game.
Perhaps the most well-known Triforce game though - and by far the most common, given it's hard to find an arcade in the UK that doesn't have it - is Mario Kart Arcade GP, and its not-really-a-sequel Mario Kart Arcade GP 2.
Arcade GP 2 is the focus of this article. The two games are extremely similar, with 2 basically being a content update for the original game that adds a few new tracks, a lick of paint here and there, and two new characters. I'd detail the roster, but if you're on this site I think you're probably familiar with the basic Mario cast at this point, and Arcade GP 2 doesn't have any major shakeups from the Mario side of things. You've basically got Mario Kart 64's roster, plus Waluigi. But with this being a Namco game, those cheeky scamps couldn't resist throwing in a few of their own:
The Triforce didn't get a ton of games, but what it did get was pretty good stuff. F-Zero GX got an arcade version in the form of F-Zero AX, Virtua Striker 4 made its debut on the platform, and there were even plans for a Star Fox game.
Perhaps the most well-known Triforce game though - and by far the most common, given it's hard to find an arcade in the UK that doesn't have it - is Mario Kart Arcade GP, and its not-really-a-sequel Mario Kart Arcade GP 2.
Arcade GP 2 is the focus of this article. The two games are extremely similar, with 2 basically being a content update for the original game that adds a few new tracks, a lick of paint here and there, and two new characters. I'd detail the roster, but if you're on this site I think you're probably familiar with the basic Mario cast at this point, and Arcade GP 2 doesn't have any major shakeups from the Mario side of things. You've basically got Mario Kart 64's roster, plus Waluigi. But with this being a Namco game, those cheeky scamps couldn't resist throwing in a few of their own:
 |
Pac-Man
If you're reading this site, I sure hope you know who Pac-Man is. Pac-Man's actually voiced in this game, with a high-pitched Mickey Mouse esque take on the guy. His special kart is based on the Solvalou from Xevious. |
|
|
Ms. Pac-Man
Before she was condemned to Pac-Hell, because Namco won't shell out to just buy ownership of her, Ms. Pac-Man made one of her last appearances in this game. Her car is themed around sweets for some reason. |
|
|
Blinky
The 'leader' of the ghosts from Pac-Man. His special kart is a plane; which probably seems a bit random, but it's actually a brilliant nod to my beloved Pac-Land (of which there's gonna be a few). |
|
|
Mametchi
New for GP 2. Since the game released around the time of Bandai and Namco's merger, the Bandai side contributed Mametchi, from the insanely popular Tamagotchi line of virtual pets. I used to be very confused by his presence, but marrying a Tamagotchi collector has given me a new appreciation for the guy. Also, his voice clips are hilarious. |
Anyway, now that you're up to speed on Daytona USA 2 we can get to the good stuff - the secrets!